Arthur saw the two huge men in suits coming down the path and he grinned. Excitedly, he opened the door and let them inside.
‘Ezra sent us,’ one said.
‘To give you this,’ said the other.
Arthur frowned. ‘Where’s Dolly?’
‘She was too scared to come,’ the first man informed him.
‘But our agreement was…’
‘You got what you wanted so now we need Ezra’s money!’ the second snapped.
‘I… I need to sell this first, then I’ll bring the money to Ezra.’ Arthur hooked his fingers through the chain and the stone swung in mid-air.
The two men exchanged a glance, playing their part to perfection.
‘We’ll have to report back to the gaffer then,’ the first man said.
Arthur nodded and watched them leave the house. He continued to stare out of the window until he was certain they had gone. He threw back his head and laughed loudly.
His eyes then moved to the necklace still hanging from his fingers. That went well, he thought, then, pocketing the gem, he grabbed his coat. He needed to get to the jewellers before it closed for the day.
Traversing the streets as fast as he could without slipping on the ice, Arthur rushed to the shop he had in mind. It was high class with lots of gold in the window, and Arthur felt sure he’d get a good price there. Rushing into the shop, he banged the door closed behind him and scuttled towards the salesman standing behind a counter.
‘I need to sell this,’ he said breathlessly as he pulled the necklace from his pocket and handed it to the jeweller.
The man placed his magnifying glass to his eye and turned the stone this way and that. ‘Hmm.’
‘How much?’ Arthur asked impatiently.
‘Five pounds,’ the jeweller said as he removed the glass from his eye.
Arthur stared open-mouthed. ‘Are you kidding me? Five quid! This diamond is worth thousands!’
The man shook his head. ‘I’m sorry but it’s not.’
‘I don’t understand,’ Arthur mumbled as he rubbed his forehead.
‘What’s not to understand? This trinket is virtually worthless to me so I’m doing you a favour giving it a value of five pounds. May I suggest you take it to a pawnbroker; you may be offered more there.’ The man wrinkled his nose in distaste.
‘But…’ Arthur began as he stared at the man.
‘Sir, this piece of rubbish would not sell in our emporium.’’ He waved an arm to encompass the whole room.
‘It’s a bloody diamond! Of course it would sell!’ Arthur’s frustration was mounting. Was the man trying to dupe him by saying it was of no value.
‘Sir, I say again, it’s worthless – it is not a diamond! It is a piece of glass set in a cheap surround!’
‘Glass!’ Arthur’s brain tried desperately to process what he’d been told.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Glass…’ he repeated. Then the penny dropped. ‘Bloody Ezra!’
Snatching the gem back, Arthur turned and fled the shop, leaving the jeweller with a grin from ear to ear. Making his way home he fumed every step of the way. Ezra had fiddled him. Why? What was the point?
So incensed was he about being fooled, Arthur didn’t see the two suited men following at a discreet distance.
Reaching home, he scuttled indoors and slammed the door behind him. Throwing the cheap jewel on the table, he paced the kitchen. Running a hand through his hair he tried to think. He slapped his forehead as the answer hit him like a thunderbolt. Ezra knew the gem was fake, he also knew Arthur wouldn’t be able to pay the promised amount; therefore, he would be taking Arthur’s house!
Pacing again, with his fingers tangled in his hair, he began to panic. What should he do now? He could try pleading with Ezra to give him more time to come up with the money, but he doubted that would work.
Finally, he had a flash of inspiration – the contract had been for Ezra to deliver Dolly – not the necklace. Clapping his hands together he grinned. Ezra had broken the agreement which surely meant he was home free.
Yes, he would remain poor but at least he was still breathing and it was Ezra who had reneged on the deal. Arthur began to relax, he had the upper hand over Ezra Morton and it felt good. He would simply wait for another visit when he would politely point out that it was Ezra who was in the wrong. He would tell the man that if he didn’t fulfil his part of the contract then the deal would be off.
Arthur would be no further forward but at least he could be free of Ezra and his underhand dealings. Picking up the fake stone again, Arthur smiled.
Nice try, Morton, but you’ll have to get up earlier in the morning to get one over on me!
Ezra’s men immediately reported back once they saw Arthur enter his property, after which they were sent back to keep watch and ensure Mr Micklewhite stayed where he was.
Ezra assumed Arthur was now aware the gem was made of glass and was holed up at home awaiting a visit from his people. The man was probably rigid with fear at being unable to pay his debt.
Of course, Ezra was aware of the agreement between them which he again pulled from the desk drawer. Reading it once more, he screwed it into a ball and threw it into the fire. Now there was no agreement concerning the young girl.
Reaching for another paper, Ezra grinned wickedly. This contract had been drawn up immediately after the first and was virtually the same but was for delivery of said necklace and not young Dolly. Ezra had completed his part of the bargain by sending Arthur the necklace given to him by Dolly and Nellie. He could always claim he didn’t know it was fake. Now it was up to Micklewhite to pay what he owed. He smiled as he read the document again. The forged signature on the bottom was excellently done; even Arthur wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
Ezra always made sure he was well ahead of the game when dealing with clients and contracts.
Ezra folded the paper and tucked it into his inside pocket. It was time to visit Arthur Micklewhite in person.
Meanwhile, having been given the keys to The Castle public house, Nellie and Dolly threw open the doors and had a good look around. With pencil and paper in hand, Dolly made notes as the two began to formulate their plans for refurbishment.
‘It will take a lot of work,’ Dolly said as they moved from room to room.
‘Yes, but if we renovate downstairs first, then the place can be open and making money while the upstairs is being done,’ Nellie said.
‘How long do you think it will take?’ Dolly asked.
‘If we get the blokes in who did The Crown – not too long at all. They’re fast workers and will be eager for the job, I suspect,’ Nellie replied. ‘I was thinking – the Jenkins family would be glad of work here if you’re in agreement.’
‘John and Jim’s family?’ Dolly asked, and at Nellie’s nod added. ‘Yes, of course, but would you mind asking them, Nellie; they know you and might be more inclined to accept.’
‘I will,’ Nellie replied.
‘Best get the builders and decorators in as soon as possible, don’t you think?’ Dolly ran her hand over the bar top and blew the dust from her fingers.
‘Ain’t no time like the present,’ Nellie said with a smile.
Re-locking the doors, they crossed the road and entered The Crown where Jack was busy awkwardly changing the labels with his one good arm. Down came the Ladies Delight and up went Royal Poverty. White Satin was replaced by Cock my Cap.
It really didn’t matter what the gin was called, it was all the same throat-searing stuff which would inevitably lead some folk to debtors’ prison and drive others to madness.
‘Jack, do me a favour and go down to the Hodges’ and ask them to come and see me. Don’t say what it’s about cos I don’t want Ezra to get wind of it all yet, and walls have ears.’ Nellie said.
Dolly helped Jack with his coat before the lad set off.
‘And you just watch out for the traffic!’ Nellie yelled as Jack disappeared through the front door of The Crown.
The Hodges were a family of builders and decorators, and had transformed an old pub into the glittering gin palace that Nellie was so proud of. It transpired that the family were indeed glad of the work, for winter was their slowest time.
Later that day, Eli Hodges sat in the kitchen and pawed over Dolly’s notes. ‘This don’t look too bad. O’ course I’ll have a better idea when I see it.’
‘Well, young Dolly here will be running the place so it’s up to her as to décor and the like,’ Nellie said.
Eli’s silver eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘You’m a bit young, ain’t yer?’
‘I know, Mr Hodges, but I know exactly what should be done and Nellie is giving me a free hand,’ Dolly answered confidently.
‘Fair enough. Right, let me at it!’ Eli said, jumping to his feet.
Dolly took the older man to assess what she had planned so he could give them a price for the work to be undertaken.
An hour later he was back in Nellie’s kitchen. ‘It’s an easy job, ladies.’ Eli was careful to include Dolly in the negotiations. ‘If my quote is acceptable to you both, me and my lads can start tomorrer.’ He pushed a slip of paper to Nellie, who puffed out her cheeks before passing it to Dolly.
‘That seems fair, Mr Hodges; and remember, once the bar is up and running, we will need the upstairs doing too.’ Dolly gave the man a warm smile then turned to Nellie. ‘Do you agree, Nellie?’
‘Yes, gel, I do. After all, the bank will be paying, so I say – the sooner the better!’
‘In the first instance, yes, but we will have to work hard to repay the mortgage,’ Dolly countered wisely.
Eli Hodges went away a happy man having secured jobs for his family, and work in The Crown Saloon went on as usual.